Audiences learn better from a multimedia lesson when they know the names and characteristics of the main concepts to be discussed. The audience should be informed from the outset as to what the presentation will be about, the key terms that will be used should be defined, as well as what it is that the speaker intends to show and/or prove

Throughout the presentation, the main points to be driven across should be used as slide titles, with graphics and/or short bullets in all presentations as an aide memoire, along with the use of summary slides at key points if required

States use graphics and narration not graphic and printed text

graphics and narrations are better than animation and on-screen text

text and pictures are superior to text alone

So in summary, in order of preference, use graphics and add text if necessary and animations only if absolutely necessary.

Use a conversational rather than a formal style

Audiences learn better from multimedia lessons when words are in conversational style rather than formal style

Audiences learn better when the narration is spoken in a friendly human voice rather than a machine voice.

In practice, the ease with which a speaker gives a presentation depends on knowledge of the topic at hand, self-confidence and practice.

People do not necessarily learn better from a multimedia lesson when the speaker’s image is added to the screen.

on when the speaker’s image is added to the screen. In a conventional slide show, this point is irrelevant as the speaker is physically present unless the presentation is given via an online connection. Even in the latter case, the addition of a window in a corner which displays the speaker talking during a slide show may detract listeners’ attention from the content

Audiences learn better from a multimedia lesson that is presented in user-paced segments rather than as a continuous unit.

For example, a presentation related to complex heart disease given to a group of subspeciality consultants (e.g. paediatric cardiologists) will be tailored and paced differently to one given to other consultants (e.g. general medical consultants) or to medical students, even if the take-home message is identical. Slide shows should always be laid out in conventional IMRaD format: Introduction – Method – Results – and – Discussion.

Present corresponding words and picture at the same time. This principle states that the narration the spoken presentation or the audio should happen at the same time as the related graphic or graphic appear on the screen.

The use of hide and reveal techniques or in power point fade and appear animations can really help with this

Says that wherever possible any words that relate to the graphics on the slides should be as close as possible

Audiences learn better when corresponding and complementary words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other on the page or screen, and when corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously rather than successiv

Teach us that less really does equal more (Less = More), to eliminate redundant information in any format. The redundancy principle doesn't mean we have to eliminate all on screen text when add narration, it just means we have to be smart about what we add

In practical terms, speakers should minimise text, but if text is necessary, to attempt a word count of up to fifteen words per slide, and to not exceed four to five lines per slide, and to use symbols if these will tend to reduce the word count.

Suggests we should highlight the organization of the essential material that is the location of information of the screen is of importance

Audiences learn better when cues that highlight the organization of the essential material are added.

States that we should try to exclude any material that not strictly necessary, Try not to be over creativeSimply key concepts should be present but anything extraneous cand and should be removed

Audience learn better when extraneous words, pictures and sound are exclude.